Giving the green light to food trucks

Escondido’s City Council made the right decision when it voted to let food trucks operate in the city. Thanks to their exposure on TV food channels, they bring a touch of culinary excitement with them.

Food trucks can breathe life into stagnant strip malls and turn neglected retail areas into bustling public gathering places. And with food truck operators also able to apply for permits so they can do business on city streets and other public property, they can literally spice things up at civic events such as Grape Day or the Amgen Tour of California bicycle race.

Restaurateurs may bristle at the prospect of competition, as they’ve done in Encinitas and Del Mar, but as long as they have confidence in their menu they really shouldn’t worry. And as anyone who’s visited a mall or airport food court knows, when it comes to dining options it’s invariably a case of the more the merrier.

We do, however, suggest that Escondido – and other North County councils that are looking at tapping into the food truck craze – take a cue from what’s happening in our nation’s capital. There, the D.C. Food Truck Association has a code of conduct with a provision that calls on food trucks to avoid parking near restaurants that serve the same food – and to be sensitive to complaints and other concerns.

Food trucks are great for the neighborhood, but it helps if there’s some way to make sure they are a good neighbor.